Hello! We are basically passing in Londrina every week because of Sister Jones´eye. that’s why I´m writing so late today. I am certain that she will be transferred this upcoming week to Londrina so that she can be close to the doctor and treat her eye. I am giving these last few days everything I´ve got! Yesterday, we baptized a young woman named Jennifer. I LOOOVE her. she is such a sweet heart. When we found her I nearly had a hernia from how insistent I was that she went to church. I said “lets go to church this weekend!“ and she always said “no, I´m super shy, I don´t want to go alone“ I did not give up lol. I don´t believe that I have ever been so insistent as I was that day outside of her house when I did not take no for an answer. I knew that the promises of spiritual manifestations we receive when we attend the house of the Lord are real. I knew that if she went to church with an open heart, she would feel something familiar and recognize the spirit testifying of the fullness of the gospel. She agreed and that following week when we went to visit her I was so impressed to see her break in to tears and tell us that this is the path she wants to follow. She told us that she needed to follow Christ, and she admitted that in her previous church, she was not following Him. She asked us to be baptized and 2 weeks later she was able to enter into the waters of baptism 🙂 Jenifer is 14 years old. I love teaching 14 yr olds because I can testify of the spiritual manifestations the 14 yr old Joseph Smith had received. Jenifer will be such a strong force and light to her family and a great leader in the future.
I will admit mom, these last few days are hard to concentrate. I am excited, nervous, anxious and don’t know what to expect from life after the mission. I know that everything will be alright reguardless.
Óla família!
It has been so great to hear from you all lately. thanks everyone for the birthday wishes, they were great. This week we have been traveling a lot for Sister Jones´ eye and I will admit that traveling every p day is driving me a little crazy. But on the bright side I have learned a lot about using maps and self orientation. I remember the first big road trip we took where Dad let me be the map Navigator, I almost fainted of happiness. Now I am putting those skills to use, but I would be lying if I said I didn´t miss my gps.
This week was our Branch Conference and it was such a special thing to witness all the members working together to bring as many of their family and friends to the conference as possible! With our faith, and lots of work, we ended up bringing 12 investigators to church.
The time is passing by super fast and I am barely holding on. I am finding myself real excited to go home, but at the same time I know the moment that I leave Brasil I will feel homesick… missionsick. I love you all and am so grateful for all of the support and prayers.
com amor,
Sister Dean
Hi guys,
I´m here in the city of Apucarana (aka the city of the hills) with Sister Jones and we are loving our time together. We live in the center of the city and have a great view from our apartment. I am almost sure that this is my last area.I can´t believe that my mission is coming to an end. Here the Branch is working very hard to remember missionary work. This Saturday there will be a big Festa Julina party at our chapel. Festa Julina/Junina is a holiday that is native to Brasil and it is so much fun! (You´ll have to google pictures) There will be a lot of food , dancing and non members 🙂 These past few weeks, we´ve been working with an investigator named Rodrigo who has been going to church for about 1 month. He is preparing for his baptism this week, but hasn´t been baptised until now because of a few personal commandment problems. I have so much faith in him and in his will power to do what is right so that he can be baptised soon. I am amazed at the power our Heavenly Father gives us when we have a pure and honest desire to do what is right. It hasn´t hit me yet that I will be ending here soon. I´ve realized that I will not be returning to life before the mission and that I have no idea what to expect from life after the mission, but it´s all good. Everything will turn out all right.
I love you all so much and am excited to see your faces! Also… I will see what I can do about space, but is there anything in particular you all want from Brasil? I´m starting to plan everything out and buy some things. Let me know soon!
amo vocês,
Sister Dean
Things are going great here! Forgot to mention! I was transferred for the city of Apucarana and I am training again! Her name is Sister Jones from Sandy, UT and she is 19. She reminds me a lot of Jessica in that they are being trained at the same time. I imagine that Jessica is passing through the same adjustments and things as Sister Jones. I will have to send you all pics of us soon. She did her first contact all alone the other day and I´m super proud of her 🙂
Bom dia família!
tomorrow is my 15 month anniversary on the mission. I realized that it´s the same as Jessica, we´ll celebrate the same mission anniversary. you measure the mission by months. when she is on her 1st month on the 5th on June I´ll be on my 16th I think. I´m sorry if my emails keep getting more and more boring, but I feel like after 15 months of writing nothing too new or flashy has been happening. I would love to answer and questions you have about what I´m doing and about whats going on here. Looks like I´ll stay here in Presidente Prudente another transfer and I might even finish out my mission here… we´ll see. I have one more transfer to go after this one.
I am super duper excited for mother´s day and looking forward to hear from you all. I would love to hear a little about the fall scheduling mom, but I am seriously thinking about using one semester when I get back to recuperate and to work. My money is low and I´d be running on fumes if I decided to study directly after the mish… we´ll see. Also I hope you all have been watching lots of movies! Yesterday a member told me that there is a Avengers2! I got so excited that I dreamed about what it must be like lol.
I love you all so much. Thanks for the messages, heres to mothers day!
Com amor, Sister Dean
psss. also a Sister Smith arrived in our mission a few weeks ago. I met her as she got of the plane. I remember how shocking it was for me to arrive in a new country totally new and alone so I tried to stay by her during the orientation and I found out that she waited 2 transfers serving in the Provo Mission and that Annie Robertson was her first companion in the field there. small world!
Hello family!
I don´t have too much time, but I´d like to leave some good news in the time that I do have! Last week we found a family while knocking doors. It is a family of 9. they were wonderful and open and willing to listen. this week we helped one of them, 17 year old Gean enter into the waters of baptism. Gean is such a good person! He was being prepared without a doubt. This upcoming week we are praying hard that miracles will happen with the rest of the family.
I am so unbelievably happy to fulfill my purpose as a missionary and not just to help others by serving, but to help their eternal well being by helping them enter into a saving covenant. I am super happy to see my lill sis do the same. In Canada, she will find and help sons and daughters of God to be cleaned of their pasts. I am so happy and proud of Sarah too, I know one day she will serve a mission too in the land that God calls her too and she´ll get work done 🙂
I love you all and know that this gospel is true,
Sister Dean
Bom Dia!
Family and friends, I am soooooooo happy to have the chance to write and read your letters every week. What a blessing modern technology is 🙂 This week My companion and I had the opportunity to do splits and I was able to get to know the marvelous Sister Do Nacimento from Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. The south of Brazil is basically the Texas of Brazil. Lots of cow boys and her accent is great! Sister do Nacimento and I worked like crazy women and contacted more than 250 people in 2 days! She was on fire! I love the oppertunity to be with other missionaries to teach and to learn new tecniques and to help our beloved Brazil Londrina Mission grow.
Lately, I have been reading in the book of Alma and I´d like to share a tidbit that caught my attention during personal study today…. I´m sorry, but I didn´t bring my english Book of Mormon with me today. In portuguese Alma 34:31 reads, “Sim, eu quisera que já não endurecêsseis vosso coração, pois eis que agora é o tempo e o dia de vossa salvação“ , in Sister Dean gringa translation it reads “ Yea, I would that thee would not harden thy heart, for behold that now is the time and day of thy salvation“ <-(Scripture, fancy translation is tougher than it looks) I felt so impressed by this prompting to wake up and to battle for the NOW. now is the time to become better, don’t wait till new years, make a resolution now to let go of the past and to progress. This life is a test and we need to progress. This principle applies to so many of our investigators who have fear to enter into the cleansing waters of baptism, or fear to quit smoking or drinking. As a missionary I need to let go of the worldly things and thoughts every day and tune my mind to the work and the responsibility I have so that I can become a better missionary. each one of us need to always be progressing. Find that fault in your armor and fix it! We need to be prepared for the battle 🙂
I love you all and I pray for you always.
Com grande amor,
Sister Dean
Hello family!
This week will have to be real short, we need to leave for a meeting in Londrina and we´ll be spending the day on the bus!
Conference was SOOOOOOOOOO good. I couldn´t help but notice all of the talks on marriage and families. I love you guys and hope you all know that we´re in it for the eternities. This weekend we helped a miracle girl named Tamires be baptized in between sessions. When I get home I´ll have to tell you the story of how she asked to be baptized even before we even mentioned the word ´baptism´ lol, I love my mission.
I love you all and am praying for you! keep me updated!
com amor,
Sister Dean
Família e amigos!
This week has passed by so fast. Nothing too out of the ordinary to report. Sister Jientara and I are working very hard here in the heat of Presidente Prudente. This will be her last transfer and I am so excited to give it everything we´ve got so that we can end her mission with a bang. This Sunday, we were able to help 5 investigators come to church. we´ve been teaching a young man named Marcelo who i an english teacher here in brazil. He was very impressed by the youth of the church and is eagerly learning.
This week I´ve been reading a lot in the book of Alma in the Book of Mormon and I´d like to share something that truly impressed me. The Father of King Lamoni´s life was at risk. In his moment of peril, he offered up to half of his vast kingdom to spare his life. two chapters later, when the king comes to know the doctrine and plan of Christ, he offers up everything he has, even his entire kingdom to receive the joy of eternal life. The true doctrine of Christ has such a high value. I testify that it has the power to convert hearts and change lives.
I am so grateful for each and everyone of you and your prayer. I know that Christ lives and that he loves and guides us. I am unbelievably excited for this week-end to have the opportunity to hear God´s servants speak to us this weekend! General Conference! I old love you hear about your favorite talks and what principles touched you.
Com muito amor,
Sister Dean
Bom dia com muito alegria!
The transfer here in Presidente Prudente has come an gone and I found out that I will be staying put another transfer here. Transfers are such an interesting way to measure time. A transfer is six weeks. A life measured in six weeks. six weeks to know the area, the members and the people. Six weeks to give it everything you´ve got. I´ve had quite a number of six weeks pass and I am so amazed how six weeks can seem like an eternity; others seem to pass in the blink of an eye! I am excited to buckle in for our next six weeks here.
I am hapy, healthy and working hard. This week or the next we will make a trip to Londrina for a leadership meeting and I am soooo excited to reunite with good friends and hear from our beloved Presidente Genaro! I absolutely love to pass in the city of Londrina. I hope I have the chance to serve in an area in Londrina before my mission ends. Not too much to report this week, sorry this email is so short and flavorless, but we have to run and prep for the trip! eu amo e oro por todos vocês!
com grande amor,
Sister Dean
Sister Whitney Dean: Brazil Londrina Mission 